A high current, solid state, electrical switch has switch terminal blocks on opposite sides of one or more arrays of parallel connected, solid state, high current, power switching devices mounted on a support. A first terminal of each switching device of each array is directly electrically and thermally bonded to a switch terminal block. A bus bar thermal bridge is directly electrically and thermally bonded to a second terminal of the switching device of each array. A thermally conductive heat sink panel is contoured in alignment with, and has a surface in spaced juxtaposition from, a surface of the bus bar thermal bridge and from surfaces of each of the switch terminal blocks. A thermally conductive, electrically insulating thermal interface material thermally contacts and extends between all said surfaces for conducting heat from the switch terminal blocks and from the thermal bridge to the heat sink panel.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A high current, solid state, electrical switch comprising: (a) a first thermally conductive switch terminal block configured for carrying high electrical current and mounted to a support; (b) a second thermally conductive switch terminal block configured for carrying high electrical current, the second switch terminal block mounted to the support and spaced from the first switch terminal block; (c) a first array of parallel connected, solid state, high current, power switching devices supported on the support between the first switch terminal block and the second switch terminal block, each first array switching device having a first array, high current, first terminal and a first array, high current, second terminal, the first terminal of each first array switching device being directly electrically and thermally bonded to the first switch terminal block; (d) a second array of parallel connected, solid state, high current, power switching devices supported on the support between the first switch terminal block and the second switch terminal block, each second array switching device having a second array, high current, first terminal and a second array, high current, second terminal, the first terminal of each second array switching device being directly electrically and thermally bonded to the second switch terminal block; (e) a bus bar thermal bridge, the thermal bridge being a heat conductor and a high electrical current conductor, the thermal bridge being directly electrically and thermally bonded to the second terminal of each first array switching device and directly electrically and thermally bonded to the second terminal of each second array switching device; (f) a thermally conductive heat sink panel contoured in alignment with and having a surface in spaced juxtaposition from a surface of the bus bar thermal bridge and from surfaces of each of the switch terminal blocks; and (g) a thermally conductive, electrically insulating thermal interface material thermally contacting and extending between said surface of the bus bar thermal bridge, said surfaces of each switch terminal block and said surface of the heat sink panel for conducting heat from the switch terminal blocks and from the thermal bridge to the heat sink panel.
2. An electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein the bus bar thermal bridge is directly electrically and thermally bonded to the second terminal of each switching device at a physical location on each second terminal that is adjacent an intersection of the second terminal with a surface of a package in which each switching device is encapsulated.
3. An electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein the first terminal of each switching device of each array is a cooling pad.
4. An electrical switch according to claim 2 wherein each of said terminal blocks has a shoulder forming a ledge and said cooling pads are directly electrically and thermally bonded to the ledges of the switch terminal blocks.
5. An electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein the bus bar thermal bridge is spaced from and not in contact with the support.
6. An electrical switch according to claim 1 wherein the heat sink panel is planar and is in planar alignment with said surfaces.
7. An electrical switch according to claim 6 wherein the switching devices have an outer side that is distal from the support and spaced from the support by a distance that is greater than a distance from the support to said surfaces for supporting the heat sink panel in spaced relationship from said surfaces.
8. An electrical switch according to claim 7 wherein the electrical switch is partially surrounded by a non-conducting housing, the housing having a planar base, side walls and a rim around the side walls, the rim being distal from the base and receiving and supporting the heat sink panel, the support being supported on the base, the housing having a distance from the base to the rim edge that is equal to the distance from the outer side of the switching devices to the distal side of the support.
9. An electrical switch according to claim 8 wherein (a) the first terminal of each switching device of each array is a cooling pad; (b) each of said terminal blocks has a shoulder forming a ledge and said cooling pads are directly electrically and thermally bonded to the ledges of the switch terminal blocks; and (c) the bus bar thermal bridge is spaced from and not in contact with the support.
10. A high current, solid state, electrical switch comprising: (a) a first thermally conductive switch terminal block configured for carrying high electrical current and mounted to a support; (b) a second thermally conductive switch terminal block configured for carrying high electrical current, the second switch terminal block mounted to the support and spaced from the first switch terminal block; (c) an array of parallel connected, solid state, high current, power switching devices mounted on the support between the first switch terminal block and the second switch terminal block, each switching device having a high current first terminal and having a high current second terminal, the first terminal of each switching device being directly electrically and thermally bonded to the first switch terminal block; (d) a bus bar thermal bridge, the thermal bridge being a heat conductor and a high electrical current conductor, the thermal bridge being directly electrically and thermally bonded to the second terminal of each switching device and directly electrically and thermally bonded to the second switch terminal block; (e) a thermally conductive heat sink panel contoured in alignment with and having a surface in spaced juxtaposition from a surface of the thermal bridge and from surfaces of each of the switch terminal blocks; and (f) a thermally conductive, electrically insulating thermal interface material thermally contacting and extending between said surface of the bus bar thermal bridge, said surfaces of the switch terminal blocks and said surface of the heat sink panel for conducting heat from the switch terminal blocks and from the thermal bridge to the heat sink panel.
11. An electrical switch according to claim 10 wherein the bus bar thermal bridge is directly electrically and thermally bonded to the second terminal of each switching device at a physical location on each second terminal that is adjacent an intersection of the second terminal with a surface of a package in which each switching device is encapsulated.
12. An electrical switch according to claim 11 wherein the first terminal of each switching device of each array is a cooling pad.
13. An electrical switch according to claim 12 wherein each of said terminal blocks has a shoulder forming a ledge and said cooling pads are directly electrically and thermally bonded to the ledge of the first switch terminal block.
14. An electrical switch according to claim 10 wherein the bus bar thermal bridge is spaced from and not in contact with the support.
15. An electrical switch according to claim 10 wherein the heat sink panel is planar and is in planar alignment with said surfaces.
16. An electrical switch according to claim 15 wherein the switching devices have an outer side that is distal from the support and spaced from the support by a distance that is greater than a distance from the support to said surfaces for supporting the heat sink panel in spaced relationship from said surfaces.
17. An electrical switch according to claim 16 wherein the electrical switch is housed in a non-conducting housing, the housing having a planar base, side walls and a rim around the side walls, the rim having an edge that is distal from the base and the rim edge receiving and supporting the heat sink panel, the support being supported on the base, the housing having a distance from the base to the rim edge that is equal to the distance from the outer side of the switching devices to the support.
18. An electrical switch according to claim 17 wherein (a) the first terminal of each switching device of each array is a cooling pad; (b) each of said terminal blocks has a shoulder forming a ledge and said cooling pads are directly electrically and thermally bonded to the ledge of the first switch terminal block and the second terminal of each switching device being connected to the ledge of the second terminal block; and (c) the bus bar thermal bridge is spaced from and not in contact with the support.
19. A high current, solid state, switch for controlling the current through connected electrical cables, the apparatus comprising: (a) a first thermally conductive terminal block mounted to a support and configured for connection to one of the cables for carrying high electrical current; (b) a thermally conductive heat sink panel contoured in alignment with and having a surface in spaced juxtaposition from a surface of the terminal block; and (c) a thermally conductive, electrically insulating thermal interface material thermally contacting and extending between said surface of the terminal block and the surface of the heat sink panel for conducting heat directly from the switch terminal block to the heat sink panel.
20. An apparatus according to claim 19 and further comprising: a solid state, high current, power switching device supported on the support, the power switching device having a high current terminal or lead that is a cooling pad, the cooling pad being directly electrically and thermally bonded to the switch terminal block.
21. An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the heat sink panel is planar, the surface of the terminal block is planar and the surfaces are in planar alignment.
22. An improved electrical circuit that includes a high current, solid state power switching device encapsulated in a package and having at least one high current pin terminal that protrudes outward from an intersection of the pin terminal with a surface of the package and extends to a pin terminal end, wherein the improvement comprises: a bus bar thermal bridge, the thermal bridge being a heat conductor and a high electrical current conductor, the thermal bridge being directly electrically and thermally bonded to the high current pin terminal at a physical location on the pin terminal that is spaced from the pin terminal end.
23. An electrical circuit according to claim 22 wherein the pin terminal has an angled bend interposed between said intersection and said terminal end and wherein the physical location at which the thermal bridge is bonded to the pin terminal is between said bend and said intersection.
24. An electrical circuit according to claim 22 wherein the physical location at which the thermal bridge is bonded to the pin terminal is adjacent said intersection.
25. An electrical circuit according to claim 22 and further comprising: (a) a thermally conductive heat sink panel contoured in alignment with and having a surface in spaced juxtaposition from a surface of the thermal bridge; and (b) a thermally conductive, electrically insulating thermal interface material thermally contacting and extending between the surface of the thermal bridge and the surface of the heat sink panel for conducting heat directly from the thermal bridge to the heat sink panel.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 23, 2020
June 30, 2020
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